Hydraulic coupling



Ndv. e, 1923. 1,472,930

F. MAYER HYDRAULIC COUPLING Filed Sent. 10 1920 Patent FRITZ YER, OFULE, BAVARIA, GEY, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO JOHNKELLER, OF OBERLENNINGEN-TECK, WURTTEMBERG,

HYDULIG conrnme.

Application filed September 16, 1920. Serial No. 409,492.

plings, of which the following is a specifi cation, reference being hadtherein to the accom anying drawing.

y invention relates to hydrauhc" couplings, and the articular object ofmy inventlon is to pro uce a hydraulic coupling'in which the couplingmembers are automatically disconnected without any friction.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of my inventionby way of example, Fig. 1 is a. longitudinal central section through thenew coupling, while Fig:

2 is a cross-section through the hollow transmission shaft. 7

The transmission shaft a is made hollow to permit therethrough the flowof oil or other suitable liquid under presure for efi'ecting theconnecting and disconnecting operations. The hollow shaft contains asmany separate oil-conduits b as there are couplings on the shaft plus anadditional conduit for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. Thus, in theembodiment shown there are provided four separate oil conduits b, b b bthe conduits b, 6 b being intended for the connecting operation for eachcoupling and the conduit 6 for the disconnecting operation for allcouplings.

The inner" coupling members a, '0- are axially movable along thetransmission shaft a the prevented from turning thereon relative to theshaft, and they are formed with pistons on which the oil under pressureacts to move the said members towards each other and towards the outercoupling members d, d, which latter are seated on the inner couplingmembers 0 0 with their hubs h,'i which are shaped like stepped pistons.The outer couplin members are formed at their periphery wit teeth eadapted to mesh with correspondin gears (not shown) mounted on anothershe (not shown).

The inner coupling members c,- c are provided with bores f, f,corresponding to bores g, g in the wall of the hollow transmission shafta.

Through these bores g, f and 7' oil under premure can be supplied,flowing through the oil conduits b, b, etc., in the hollow shaft. Fordisconnecting the cou plin the oil flows through the oil conduit 6 a overeferred to, the oil acting on and.v

operating the stepped pistons h, '13. The

hores g and f are so arranged that when a coupling is connected (see couling marked I in Fig. 1) the corresponding liores g and f are inregister with each other thus afl'ording an inlet for the oil, whereaswhen a coupling is disconnected (see the couplings marked II in Fig. 1),the corresponding bores g, f are offset relative to each other,therefore being closed to the oil.

For controlling the flow of oil under pressure, the rotative cylindricalmember l at the left of Fig. 1 isprovided, which in its outer surfacehas a number of channels adapted to effect communication between the oiltank at and the various oil conduits b, 6

etc., in the hollow shaft a. For the purpose of disconnectin a coupling,the said cylindrical member is turned in such a way, as to open upcommunication to the oil conduit b". In the position of the parts shownin Fig. 1 the oil flowing through conduit b will ass through the openbores g, f correspon ing to the couplin marked I and thus willact on andoperate t e stepped pistons h, i and h, i thereby moving the innercoupling members 0, 0 towards each other disconnecting them from theircorrespondin outer coupling members d, 03. By this axia movement of theinner coupling members 0, 0 the bores g and f are offset relative toeach other, as seen in connection with the disconnected couplirigsmarked II in Fig. 1 (see bores g f). y the axial movement of the innercoupling members a, 0 lengthwise of shaft a all metal friction betweenthese coupling members and the outer coupling members 05, d iseliminated, and in this disconnected state the outer coupling membersretain metallic contact with the .in-

ner coupling members only at the hub h, i.

The inner coupling members a, 0 by their displacement are positionedexactly in the middle position of the coupling overlapmg each other attheir circum erence as l clearly shown in Fig. 1.

A number of oil ducts in are provided in I maining between thefrictional surfaces of 0 the coupling members which would otherwisecounteract the overlapping engagement between the inner couplingmembers.

The oil under pressure is contained in the tank t above referred to andshown at the lefthand side of Fig. l. The oil has access to the ducts inthe cylindrical member I through an opening 0 in a stationary part psurrounding the rotative cylindrical member Z, which at its outer end isformed with a toothed gear 8 whereby the member Z may be rotated tobring the different ducts cut in its surface into communication with theoil conduits in shaft a. The oil flowing back through the said oilconduits is collected in a chamber 9 from which the oil escapes througha port 1- into a collecting vessel (not shown) from which it may bereturned tothrough the said conduits, ofsets of inner coupling membersmounted on the said shaftfor relative axial movement thereon andprovidedwith bores adapted to re 'ster with the bores in the wall of the said holow shaft, stepped pistons formed on the" said inner coupling members,corresponding sets of connected.

2. A hydraulic coupling as specified in claim 1, in which the said innercoupling members are provided at their circumference with overlappingportions, the said-outer coupling members being-provided with ducts forthe escape of any liquid under pressure adapted to counteract theoverlapping engagement of the said innencoupling members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

FRITZ MAYER. Witnesses:

JOHN KELLER, MAX MI'J'ILER.

